Although abundant biology data have been accumulated in public biology databases, such as GenBank and PIR, few easy-interface services are provided for users to access or update them. We have developed a system, named BioStore, that is composed of several programs to aid users to not only access public data but also share their own data easily. The service can be used for maintaining a local database as a repository of raw data files of several public databases and distributing the data files to other users. Currently, BioStore manipulates major bio-databases and will expand to include more databases and more useful interfaces.
Biology ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Formycins ; Ribonucleotides ; Information Storage and Retrieval

PURPOSE: To compare postoperative recurrence rates between conjunctival autograft transplantation alone and conjunctival autograft transplantation with amniotic membrane transplantation in primary pterygium surgery. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 66 eyes from 62 patients who underwent primary pterygium surgery from January 2001 to May 2009. Twenty three eyes underwent conjunctival autograft transplantation alone, 43 eyes underwent conjunctival autograft transplantation with amniotic membrane transplantation. RESULTS: Recurrence of pterygium was observed in 5 of 23 eyes that received conjunctival autograft transplantation alone. There were 2 cases of recurrence of 43 eyes that received conjunctival autograft transplantation and amniotic membrane transplantation. No major complications such as necrotizing scleritis, sclera ulcer, or corneal perforation were observed in either group after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that receiving both conjunctival autograft transplantation and amniotic membrane transplantation in pterygium surgery has a lower recurrence rate than conjunctival autograft transplantation alone.
Amnion ; Corneal Perforation ; Eye ; Humans ; Membranes ; Pterygium ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclera ; Scleritis ; Transplants ; Ulcer

Many bioinformatics sites have managed local bio-databases, including major databases such as GenBank and PIR with update load. We have developed several programs to monitor the update status of these databases and to FTP them automatically. These programs can be used for maintaining local bio-databases as recent versions and providing up-to-date databases through FTP sites. Currently, the program serves major bio-databases and will extend to accommodate many more bio-databases.
Computational Biology ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Formycins ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Ribonucleotides

This study compared levels of health and dietary behavior practices and health beliefs according to the stage of weight loss behavior change of Korean male workers. A self-administered survey questionnaire was collected from 411 male adult workers residing in Seoul, Kyeonggi, Chungcheong region. Practices of health related behavior, including smoking, drinking, exercise, work related physical activity, and dietary behavior according to dietary guidelines were evaluated. In addition, the levels of perceived benefit, perceived barrier, perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, and perceived cue to action from the health belief model were measured according to the stages of weight loss behavior change. Significant differences in BMI, level of daily exercise, and practices of dietary behavior according to dietary guidelines were observed among stages of weight loss behavior change. Subjects who were in action/maintenance stage showed a more desirable level of health behavior and health belief model variables, except perceived barrier. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that subjects with different stages of behavior change need an appropriate specific nutrition education method and material for improvement of nutrition education efficacy.
Adult ; Cues ; Drinking ; Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Weight Loss

We describe a case of chronic total occlusion of the right coronary artery ostium 5 months after a repeated Bentall procedure in a patient with Behcet's disease. In this patient, an antegrade approach to delivering the guidewire during percutaneous coronary intervention was not successful. Coronary angiography revealed the existence of collateral blood supply from the left coronary artery. Using a retrograde approach, a guidewire was successfully advanced from the distal left circumflex artery through the collateral vessel and into the posterolateral branch of the right coronary artery. After the guidewire crossed over the occluded right coronary artery ostium and was snared into the ascending aorta, antegrade access for balloon and stent delivery succeeded.
Aorta ; Arteries ; Behcet Syndrome ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Occlusion ; Coronary Vessels ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; SNARE Proteins ; Stents

A 71-year-old male patient was readmitted to our hospital 1 month after discharge because of relapse of abdominal pain. He had been diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) 1 year prior and had undergone repeated transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and radiotherapy. During the last hospitalization, he was diagnosed with a liver abscess complicated by previous treatments for HCC and was treated with intravenous antibiotics and abscess aspiration. Follow-up abdominal computed tomography revealed a liver abscess with a duodenal fistula, which was successfully treated with endoscopic Histoacryl injection into the fistula. Liver abscesses with duodenal fistulas rarely occur, but they are intractable and possibly fatal in patients with HCC. In the literature, they have frequently been managed only with abscess treatment without fistula management. We herein report the first case of a patient with a liver abscess complicated by a fistula between the duodenum and the abscess, which was treated with endoscopic Histoacryl injection.
Abscess/*complications ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/radiotherapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic/*adverse effects ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Duodenal Diseases/*etiology/therapy ; Enbucrilate/*administration & dosage ; Humans ; Intestinal Fistula/*etiology/therapy ; Liver Diseases/*etiology/therapy ; Male ; Radiotherapy/adverse effects

BACKGROUND: Mast cell leukemia (MCL) is the most aggressive form of systemic mastocytosis disorders. Owing to its rarity, neither pathogenesis nor standard treatment is established for this orphan disease. Hence, we tried to treat a patient with MCL based on the exome and transcriptome sequencing results of the patient's own DNA and RNA. METHODS: First, tumor DNA and RNA were extracted from bone marrow at the time of diagnosis. Germline DNA was extracted from the patient's saliva 45 days after induction chemotherapy and used as a control. Then, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) using the DNA and whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS) using the RNA. Single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were called using MuTect and GATK. Samtools, FusionMap, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis were utilized to analyze WTS results. RESULTS: WES and WTS results revealed mutation in KIT S476I. Fusion analysis was performed using WTS data, which suggested a possible RARα-B2M fusion. When RNA expression analysis was performed using WTS data, upregulation of PIK3/AKT pathway, downstream of KIT and mTOR, was observed. Based on our WES and WTS results, we first administered all-trans retinoic acid, then dasatinib, and finally, an mTOR inhibitor. CONCLUSION: We present a case of orphan disease where we used a targeted approach using WES and WTS data of the patient. Even though our treatment was not successful, use of our approach warrants further validation.
Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Exome ; Humans ; Precision Medicine ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Mast-Cell* ; Mast Cells* ; Mastocytosis, Systemic ; Rare Diseases ; RNA ; Saliva ; Transcriptome ; Tretinoin ; Up-Regulation ; Dasatinib

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is becoming essential in the fields of precision oncology. With implementation of NGS in daily clinic, the needs for continued education, facilitated interpretation of NGS results and optimal treatment delivery based on NGS results have been addressed. Molecular tumor board (MTB) is multidisciplinary approach to keep pace with the growing knowledge of complex molecular alterations in patients with advanced solid cancer. Although guidelines for NGS use and MTB have been developed in western countries, there is limitation for reflection of Korea’s public health environment and daily clinical practice. These recommendations provide a critical guidance from NGS panel testing to final treatment decision based on MTB discussion.